January is recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the United States.

For past seven years, the EPPD has made human trafficking prevention and enforcement one of our top priorities.

Investigators from Eden Prairie collaborate with law enforcement personnel from Bloomington, Richfield, Minnetonka, Plymouth and Maple Grove as part of the “494 Corridor Group” with the goal to investigate crimes related to human trafficking along I-494 and to recover human trafficking victims. In 2023 that group made 49 sex buyer arrests during sting operations.

We are fortunate to have several community groups donate funding and supplies for comfort kits for human trafficking victims that include basic necessities such as food, clothing, gas cards, personal hygiene products and hand-knit hats.

If you or someone you know is being sexually exploited or trafficked please call 911 or the MN Day One Crisis Line at 866-223-1111.